Son of Dragons
by ScldHeart
Summary: Hiccup grew up knowing what it meant to be a dragon rider. He had been taken from his birth home and given back to his mother by the dragons, but now, he wanted to see for himself his former home. Alongside his dragon companian, the Prince of the Hidden Kingdom sets out to learn more about Berk, the land he never forgot.
1. Chapter 1

Hiccup grew up learning many things. Don't steal food from dragons, stay away from the beach at sundown, and never, ever, leave the surrounding islands.

Of course, over his thirteen odd years, he was never known to actually listen to those rules. It showed in the way that he chose to fly off, even though he had been told not to, out and away from his island.

"Alright bud, come on, we can go faster!" Hiccup called out, crouching down on the black scales of his best friend. He gazed ahead into the mist as they climbed higher into the air. They had been grazing across the water for miles now, but as they neared the edge of the stretch of islands surrounding his home, they began to go higher.

"Alright Toothless, just a little higher." He whispered and gazed ahead through his mask, watching as the mist collected into droplets and slide down the scales covering his sleeve. They continued to slip down the scales as the wind rushed across his body, and as they gained speed, a sort of thrill pushed through him. He let out a breath of awe as they finally got high enough to see the stretch of mist covering his home.

For as long as he had been able to remember, this had been his home. The island of dragons, a place of wonder and also of terror. Still, he wouldn't trade it for the world. It was where he lived, and also where his mother lived. They had been together, though still alone, with the dragons in their hidden kingdom.

Still, Hiccup wondered. His mother, Valka, had regaled him with tales of his home, of Berk. She had never been able to tell him much though, before she became lost in her own thoughts. This only worsened whenever the topic of his father came up.

Hiccup let out a soft sigh as he rose to stand, staring out at the sky.

Below him, Toothless warbled and looked up. His lobes flapped against the sides of his head as he peered up at Hiccup with his bright green eyes.

"Yeah, I'm alright boy, I hope we are able to make it this time." Hiccup replied. He knew he was worrying Toothless, but it had become common as of late.

"Okay, lets go." He said after wrangling his thoughts. He dropped down so his legs cradled the dragon's neck. Leaning down against the scales and set his head on Toothless'. His arm reached up and flipped the hood of his mask over, so it now formed with a more pointed top, allowing the wind to go right over it.

Getting the drift, Toothless readjusted himself before shooting off further into the sky. A whistling, trademark to Toothless, sounded as the wind went over his wings. A grin spread across Hiccup's lips as they went faster and faster. His heart pounded as they continued, and he held his breath in anticipation. He needed to see beyond the borders, he needed to know.

He had spent years wondering who he was, who his people were and where he had come from.

You see, he wasn't born here, on this island or even in the Hidden Kingdom. In fact, he had been born on Berk with all the other Vikings. It was only when he got older, around four years past his birth, that he had joined his mother in her solitude.

"And where, do you think you are going?"

He heard her before he saw her. Without warning beige scales with red tinge fell over Toothless, and four wings appeared in his view. He slowed down out of habit before he slammed into the body flying before him.

Toothless let out a warble as they halted without warning, and Hiccup looked up to see a figure dressed in a painted wooden armor standing on top of a large four-winged dragon.

He felt a sad smile go across his face as he felt the disappointment radiating off of his mother from where she stood on her dragon Cloudjumper.

Hiccup swallowed as she held out her hooked staff to him, gesturing for him to grab on.

Toothless let out a groan, which was silenced by a sharp look from the Stormcutter. Toothless looked to the side as his rider stepped up and took the hook, guided up and onto Cloudjumper.

Toothless fell into flight beside Cloudjumper and they started flying back to the island they had been leaving.

Silence greeted them on their journey back. It started to pick at Hiccup, and looking up, he saw that his mother was facing away from him and toward the island.

"U-Uh…I'm sorry?" He spoke up, quiet at first but still loud enough that his mother could hear him. She said nothing, but he knew she heard him by the way she shifted.

"I know I wasn't supposed to go…" He started, looking down toward the ocean.

"Yes. So why did you, Hiccup?" Vulka spoke up, and Hiccup froze, looking up.

"I-I want to know more. Y-you told me…You told me a lot, but I want to know more, I want to know what is out there, and I want to know more about myself and my people?" Hiccup couldn't start once she began, continuing as he looked at his hands before peering up at his mother.

He flipped the hood back again as he noticed it was down. It fell back down as his mother looked down at him. She let out a soft laugh as his helmet fell back down before crouching in front of Hiccup. She took his chin in her hand, gently lifting his helmet off his head. She gazed down at him as she trailed his cheek with her hand.

"I know, that I haven't…I know I haven't been very open with you Hiccup, but I have my reasons." She spoke softly as she gazed at him through her mask.

Hiccup sighed and reached up, taking off her mask as well. It gave way easier than his because of the looser fit, and as he looked into her eyes, Hiccup saw the stress building on her. She was getting up in her years, and her hair was beginning to grey. It still held quite well in its braid but he knew that she wouldn't be able to do this forever.

"I know mom, but…I will need to know." He told her gently.

Her eyes closed and she glanced to the side, where Toothless flew moodily beside Cloudjumper. The Nightfury was a sight to behold. He was a beautiful specimen, but also loyal and one of a kind. In all her years she had never seen another like him.

She could trust him to take care of her boy.

"Okay." Vulka said, and she looked back to Hiccup.

"Go, go explore, go find yourself." Vulka told him.

Hiccup froze up for a moment, before his eyes widened and a smile spread across his lips. He bounced up quickly, only his years of riding on Toothless and Cloudjumper keeping him from falling off.

Toothless perked up from beside them, and he shook his body with a smile.

"_After_ you eat something. You've been out all morning!" Vulka scolded, grabbing onto his ear and pulling as she scolded him. He let out a laugh and groaned as his mother smiled down at him happily.

He would just have to deal with this and then head out on his own.

I~~~~I

"We finally get to go bud." Hiccup spoke, grinning as he painted across his armor. Toothless wiggled and pranced around behind him.

They had ended up staying for the rest of that day to finish up some things around their home, which had settled Vulka's nerves quite a bit. She had told him he could explore past the borders of the island, but only if he packed accordingly and let her know before he took off.

Hiccup felt the anticipation flow through him as he held up his completed armor, looking over to Toothless. The dragon gave him his signature toothless grin, before nudging his hand so he could see the piece of armor Hiccup had finished.

It was a leather piece with wooden accents and black scales that Toothless had shed. He had painted over the rest of it with smashed of scales mixed with Toothless' saliva, creating a fireproof paint that worked wonders.

He had adjusted his armor again, making it so it would work a bit better for his trip. He also adjusted his staff so that he could catch himself on Toothless better than he normally did.

Using a hooked staff was harder with Toothless than most dragons because he didn't have the sharp barbs or spikes most did. Because of that his staff was better at being grabbed or giving Toothless something to hold onto. It also functioned like his mothers, but that was expected.

He slipped the armor over its stand and settled back down in his seat. Over the years he had become somewhat of an inventor. He had come across many raiders and their ransacked ships, taking from them what he needed to complete his inventions. Among them were his boots with the same barbs some dragons had, giving him extra grip, and some other gadgets.

He had even created his own weapons that used elements of the dragons he had around the Kingdom. He had a blade made of Zippleback gas, which when a click sounded, could ignite into a blade of fire. He also had a dragon whistle that he had painstakingly crafted and tested over and over.

"We finally can do it boy…We can go out into the great beyond, find Berk…We can see where I was born." Hiccup told Toothless as he scratched the dragon's chin. He couldn't wait.

He peered up at the wall and his drawings of the islands. He was excited beyond measure.

It was time that he explored past the island, past the Hidden Kingdom. It was time he saw his home.

I~~~~I

**Well that's a wrap. I wasn't too sure how to start this, but I figured that this would be good. We'll just have to see where it goes. Thanks for reading, and please let me know if I can improve it in any way!**


	2. Chapter 2

Hiccup knew the moment that he woke up that he would be heading out that day to find Berk. His mother had told him to be careful as he packed up his things and prepared for a long journey. He was ordered to not stay away for too long, three days at most, and to be wary of other dragons that weren't under their alpha.

Hiccup watched from his perch in the Hidden Kingdom as Toothless gathered his share of food form the large pile that the Alpha had brought the other dragons.

The alpha was a magnificent specimen. A large white Bewilder Beast with large tusks and gleaming purple and white scales that shone under the ice dome it had created with its own breath. The beast guarded them and took care of them, creating a place where they could be safe and live in peace with their dragons.

As much as Hiccup didn't want to admit it, not all people liked dragons the way that he did. There were many that felt their way of life wasn't helping the cause and that dragons were dangerous beasts that deserved to die or feel the wrath of men. It struck a chord every time Hiccup stopped a dragon trapper or rescued the friends he had grown up with from certain death.

Hearing a warble, Hiccup turned to see his partner had flown up beside him and was walking across the spiked walls of ice to get to him. The Nightfury dropped gently beside him and gave him a happy grin as he bounced around in excitement, no doubt wanting to head out.

"Alright bud, we'll get going." Hiccup told his companion, grinning himself as he pulled his mask over his head and grabbed his supplies. He had readied them earlier and brought them up with him as he waited for Toothless to eat, leaving him to strap them onto his dragon.

He climbed onto Toothless' back and readied himself, stretching his limbs as he gazed around the wonderland he called his home.

"Let's go bud." Hiccup said as he patted Toothless' side, leaning forward as his dragon readied himself before jumping down. They caught the wind and began to sail across the greenery of their Hidden Kingdom, spiraling to the only known exit. Flying beside him where other dragons, each of their own color variation and species.

Hiccup took a moment to wave down at his mother with a smile before he lost sight of her figure through the rocky landscaped that they used as a basis for their home. Whipping around corners, going under stalagmites, and even dodging other pairs or groups of wings, they made their way out into the open world.

Snow hit his face and Hiccup took in a deep breath as they soared higher and higher into the air. He felt his mask pressing into his face as they went faster and faster, before, finally, Toothless halted and leveled out.

Hiccup let out a laugh, raising his hands as they glided by the clouds. He ran his hands through them and let out all the pent up stress he had felt.

He loved his home, but he loved flying in the open air even more. Riding on the back of a dragon, feeling their warmth, their heartbeat beneath you...It was the greatest sensation he had ever known.

"Okay...let's go bud." Hiccup called, gazing out ahead of him. The unknown awaited him. The barren landscape and the twisted spires of sea stacks, all leading out into a world he didn't know.

Toothless warbled again and shifted, readying himself. Hiccup lowered back down onto his back, wrapping his arms and legs around his dragon as he gazed ahead at the ocean spreading out for miles and miles.

They shot off with a roaring whistle that echoed across the skies, calling out the retreat of the Prince of the Hidden Kingdom.

I~~~~I

They had been flying for hours at this point. Neither of them was too tired, but Hiccup could tell his companion was getting there. They needed to stop for food and get some water before too long, problem was they hadn't seen and island for miles.

"Come on bud, just a little bit farther. We can make it, we just have to go a little while longer." Hiccup called out, and as he did, he felt a chill go down his back. The clouds had grown darker and ahead he saw flashes of light, telling him that they were about to enter a storm.

Toothless let out a half-hearted warble and shook himself before flying a little faster again. He worked his way into the rain, and when it started to strike lightning beside them, he expertly dodged the bolts.

Hiccup knew that Berk wasn't that close to their islands, but he hadn't thought it would be this far. At this rate, he'd have to turn back before he even found it just so he didn't go over his mother's rules.

Sighing, Hiccup looked down at Toothless and took a moment to appreciate his dragon.

Nightfuries were rare, so rare that Hiccup had never seen another one before he met his friend. He wasn't sure what made them so rare, but it was obvious it had to be something big. It was just too odd to not see another one of his kind when every other dragon was so obviously abundant.

It was also odd how they had met. You see, unlike many of the other dragons in the area, Toothless wasn't born in the kingdom. Hiccup had met toothless when he was about ten, and the only reason why was because he had been playing in an area he wasn't supposed to be.

He had gotten lost, and after several hours of wandering, he had crept up on a sleeping dragon.

At first Toothless had tried to kill him, but when he noticed Hiccup didn't have weapons and didn't fear him, instead showing weakness as a sign of respect, the dragon had taken a step back and reevaluated the situation.

Toothless had been the hardest dragon to get to trust him that Hiccup had ever met. It had always been easy for him to make friends with dragons, he had even befriended the Bewilder beast after all, but Toothless had just been difficult.

He remembered the week he had spent camping beside the dragon, leaving himself vulnerable and not daring to show weapons to the dragon. It had been around a month before he had been allowed to ride on the dragon, and after that, things had just progressed to where they were now.

The sudden change in temperature around him drew Hiccup from his thoughts. Where before had been a cooler feeling, now came a sudden rush of warm air. Looking ahead Hiccup saw open and bright skies.

Sea stacks spawned around him and he was left gaping in awe as the landscape became visible. Islands spawned from the waters, growing larger and larger as he soared overhead.

It was beautiful. The trees, the coast, the sun shining across the clear blue waters.

He heard the storm behind him, but in that moment, he could hardly care about the turbulent seas behind him. This was his home, his origin. He wanted to take it in for as long as he could.

Letting out a soft sigh Hiccup guided his friend down to the nearest island so they could make a quick camp and settle in for some rest.

I~~~~I

Berk was known for many things. Before it had been known for its strong fighters and the opposition it posed to other clans of Vikings gathered in the Archipelago. Now, however, it was known for something else.

"Dragons!" The call rang out about all others, the ringing of shouts and clashing weapons sounding in the ears of the swarming Vikings. Fire rained down from above, before it was swiftly put out by assembled bodies of teenagers.

There were five to note that surged to burning buildings, dousing them in water as cries and roars echoed above them. Among them were two twins, two larger males, and a smaller female. The twins were a boy and a girl with blonde hair held back in braids. Next to them were the two males, both of opposing likeness. One was a heavy-set blonde with chubby features, the other a raven-haired boy with bulky shoulders. Last of all was the long-haired blonde who rushed in faster than any other.

They worked quickly, ducking past other Vikings and out of sight without much of a word, doing their jobs so that they would have some place to sleep.

These teenagers were an assembled team meant to keep the damage of their dragon counterparts to a minimum. For as long as they had been able to walk, they had been sent running with buckets and pails of water to douse the flames caused by dragons attacking their homes.

"Astrid!" A call echoed, the lone blond girl stopping in her rush back to the well. She was caught by the Village Chief, Stoic, as he swatted a Monstrous Nightmare to the side with his axe.

Stoic stopped beside them, gesturing the others to come over as well.

"This attack is almost over, so I want you all to start working on the houses in the rubble. The families will need supplies for the night and places in the Great Hall…Thankfully we don't have many." Stoic told them, his voice gruff and to the point.

There was a time when Stoic wasn't so cold, when he would stop for longer to talk to all of them.

As Stoic walked away, it was clear to all of them that that time was long gone. It had been for years now, ever since his son, Hiccup, had been taken in a dragon raid.

The teenagers nodded at him, all of them hopping to their feet before they started to rush over to the houses, they knew had been hit the most. It was always their job to make sure that the people who needed supplies got them after attacks. It kept the most able-bodied people available for other tasks, such as the council, or rounding up and killing the rest of the dragons that had remained.

Astrid found this job to be the most tiring. She could run laps around the village hauling water in pails to different sights with fire, but she could never quite handle the aftermath. Watching people pick up the remains of their homes, watching as they tried to piece their lives back together if they lost more than that…It was never easy.

Thankfully she had never had to experience something like that. He parents' house had never been hit badly and neither of them had been seriously injured in one of the attacks before. It was a small blessing that she always thanked Odin for, because even though they would go to Valhalla, she didn't want to be left alone.

"I'm going to go get the food, Snotlout and Fishlegs, you two go find the worst houses and help the families grab whatever is left. Ruffnut, Tuffnut, you two do the same." Astrid ordered, taking her automatic role as commander without a fuss. She was used to this, and they were too. Even if it grated on the others when she took charge, they never argued about it for long.

Taking in the silence that followed as she took off from the group, Astrid took a moment to look around her.

Berk was beautiful, that was true, but it was also fierce. No dragon or their hoards would take it down. They had survived for this long, they could survive for longer.

I~~~~I

Hiccup woke up the next morning to bright cloudless skies. Toothless still slept behind him, though he knew the moment he sat up his companion would join him.

Slowly, Hiccup got up. He stretched out his limbs and began to do several exercises, loosening up his body from the day of flying he had done. He worked out some of the kinks in his body and felt his muscles relax.

Toothless stretched behind him, looking to him with his signature grin after he had finished.

Hiccup couldn't help but grin back at his dragon, matching his friend's pose before straightening up.

"Alright, how about we go get some breakfast bud?" Hiccup told him, smirking as the dragon hopped around him and gave an excited and agreeable warble.

Hiccup pulled himself up onto his dragon and they shot off above the ocean, the morning air flowing through Hiccup's lungs. He took another deep breath as they circled above the island, looking down at the water.

"Alright, ready?" Hiccup called to Toothless, leaning down to peer into his eyes as he scratched his scales. Toothless warbled again and without a word, twisted around.

Hiccup dropped to the side, falling out of the sky as he performed a dive into the cool ocean. The cold water ate at his sides, but he continued down. His hand unsheathed his knife and he went to the fish nearest to him with a smirk.

They hardly even noticed his swift strikes as he took them out of the water, scattering schools.

Beside him he felt a rush of water, and looking over, he spotted toothless through the salty water. The dragon gave him a closed-mouth grin before pushing his legs and biting down on a large pack of fish. He then pushed for the surface, Hiccup following behind with his own catches.

Hiccup let out a laugh as he surfaced, swimming toward his friend who had a mouth full of fish. The Nightfury grinned at him as he set his fish in one of the waterproof pouches.

"Alright, race you back?" Hiccup jokingly asked the Dragon, pushing off of his scales back to the island.

Toothless shook and then warbled in agreement, pushing his legs so that he began to tread the water.

Hiccup joined him, enjoying the cool water and how refreshing it was to wake up in it. His mother never really let him swim by their home because of how cold it was, but here the water was just cold enough to combat the heat of the sun bearing down on him. He enjoyed it, especially since he'd get to dry off with a nice run after he made it to the shore.

He had done exercises like this ever since he started to get to know Toothless. It helped out the dragon as well since he got used to moving in unfamiliar terrain and avoiding attacks in all sorts of environments.

The two normally did things together, such as swimming, climbing, and running. Occasionally though, they would do other sorts of exercises. Hiccup had been working on his strength since he had to help his mother with different things, such as moving heavy dragon eggs, landscaping, and even tending to some dragons. Toothless didn't really need to work on his own strength, but occasionally he would go off flying on his own, pushing his speed to insane amounts just to see how fast he could be.

The two of them reached the shore after a couple minutes, stopping as they both tried to remove the excess water. Hiccup swiftly tugged off his shirt, ringing it out as he looked to his friend.

The Nightfury was busy shaking himself off from head to toe. He looked like a wolf when it was wet, though he didn't seem to mind the water nearly as much since it slid down his scales easily.

After ringing out his shirt Hiccup pulled it over his head and walked over to grab his catch of fish from Toothless' back. He hauled his catch over to his campsite so he could start up a fire again in his near abandoned firepit. Toothless pranced behind him, dropping his own load of fish so he could leisurely pick at his mound and savor each fish.

Hiccup patted the dragon's head and used his flint to make a fire.

While most people would think just using the dragon's natural fire would be wiser, Hiccup preferred to use his own abilities for his own health. It limited his dependence on Toothless in case something happened. It was a lesson his mother had taught him when he was very young.

After eating their fish, the two ran a couple laps and explored the island they had made camp at. They discovered several dragons but maintained their distance, so that they weren't intruding. After a few hours of this they erased all traces of their camp and began to fly again, searching for more islands.

The two kept high in the sky as they observed the land masses. Hiccup even brought out his journal to sketch down several of the islands.

He took note of the climate of each one, memorizing them before they moved on. He wanted to note the dragons that lived there, but he also wanted to get a feel for the other islands before he decided to explore any more. He had two days before he had to check in with his mother, so he might as well make the most of it.

It was growing dark when Hiccup debated calling it. He had mapped out most of the islands, and he could easily call it a night and continue tomorrow.

The thing was, he had one more area he needed to check. He'd have to make camp soon though, since he knew better than to be out after dark.

Sighing, Hiccup called to Toothless through the soft whistling of the wind.

"Alright bud let's head back. We can explore more in the morning." Hiccup told the dragon.

Toothless warbled and shifted his weight, turning them around.

It was as he turned that Hiccup saw it.

Light flashed in the distance, a small flare.

"Wait!" Hiccup called, halting his dragon. They hovered in place for a moment as he looked over to the flash of light. It was dim, but he would recognize it anywhere.

Fire. And where there was fire, normally there was people.

"Come on bud, toward the light. Let's see if we can find any clues." Hiccup called.

Toothless began flying in the direction of the light, gaining speed as he moved higher in the sky.

Across the water, the visage of another island came into view. Shockingly enough, there on the slope of one of the mountains on the island was a swarm of light. Houses came into view as they soared overhead, and a pulsing wave of shock ran through Hiccup.

Never had he expected them to run into Berk so early. He hadn't expected them to find the village of Vikings, and yet here they were.

It was so much…It was different from how his mother had described it. That was a given, but even so, he still knew in his heart that this, this village, was his former home.

They circled high in the sky and gazed down at the villages, taking it all in. Very few specs that Hiccup knew to be people were wandering about, making him feel a little better about being in the open sky. Toothless tended to blend in with the sky on nights like these, but even so, he wasn't too sure about how they would take a dragon hovering over them.

"Alright bud, we'll make camp here. Circle around to the other side and we'll set up. I don't want to aggravate them, so be careful." Hiccup told his dragon, leaning down to rub his head.

Toothless quietly warbled back to him, sailing down and around the island.

From his spot on Toothless' back, Hiccup watched as Berk disappeared around the mountainside.

He couldn't quite quell the longing feeling in his chest as the lights vanished from his sights.

I~~~~I

**Well there is Chapter 2. Sorry it took awhile, I've been a little busy. I hope you all enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

Hiccup woke the next morning to the sun shining down on him. He looked out at the sprawling sea and heard the rumbling of his dragon's chest behind him. Faintly he wondered where he was, until he finally remembered that he had been traveling and had stopped for the night.

The realization hit him soon after. He had found Berk, the land of his birth…

He wasn't sure whether to be happy or afraid. He had grown up with stories of the land, but never had he set eyes on it until last night. It had been new, different. That wasn't always bad, but it was hard to get used to.

While he wanted to swoop into the village and meet everyone, he knew that they wouldn't take too kindly to strangers, let alone one riding a Nightfury. He would have to make camp outside of the village and designate a place where he could stay while he was observing Berk.

Setting his goal for the day, Hiccup pushed to his feet and started his stretches. After he had finished those he got ready for his run.

Toothless woke soon after. The dragon made his way into the ocean, swimming this time, so he could retrieve some fish for their breakfast. Meanwhile, Hiccup walked through the forest in search of a new campsite.

The campsite needed to be secluded but relatively easy to access. It needed water, shelter, and a big enough area that he and Toothless weren't cramped.

After an hour of finding nothing Hiccup went back to his original spot. He found Toothless there eating fish. Laying on a steaming rock beside the dragon were several lightly charred fish.

"Thanks bud." Hiccup told his dragon as he sat beside him. He gave the Nightfury a few scratches along his scales in thanks before digging into his own meal. They ate in silence for several minutes, the peaceful atmosphere only ever interrupted by the waves lapping at the shore and the calls of wildlife in the forest around them.

They enjoyed their time, and when they finished eating, started on the quest to find shelter. Hiccup didn't want to be seen in the day, so he reduced the chances by sticking to the ground rather than flying overhead.

Around midday the two stopped at a cove, finding the perfect area to camp. It was a secluded pit. surrounded with rocky walls. A pond was settled in the middle and Hiccup could see fish swimming in the clear waters. There were outcroppings where they could find shelter from the sun or any other weather. It was perfect in all honesty.

"I think we'll settle in here bud. Come on, let's unpack." Hiccup told his dragon, smiling as he grabbed on to some of their supplies. He hopped down the slope of rocks leading down into the large pit, dropping his supplies down near it.

He was already mentally mapping where he would put his things and where he would set up camp. He wanted to keep Toothless out of sight so the Dragon would get the deepest cavern in the pit, which was barely wide enough for the dragon. They could change that quickly though.

"Settle in bud, we'll be staying here for a bit. Get comfortable and I'll prepare the campsite." Hiccup told Toothless.

The dragon warbled in agreement and sauntered over to the spot Hiccup had saw before. Soon enough Hiccup heard carving sounds as the dragon used his talons to remove the slightly brittle stone and carve a deeper cavern.

Hiccup chuckled and set to work on his workbench.

I~~~~I

Astrid had finally had it. For days she had been running around helping the village, and each day she had to deal with the _idiots_ that were her peers. Snotlout wouldn't take a hint and kept saying that she loved him when she only wanted to pummel his face into the ground.

Fishlegs wouldn't shut up about facts on dragons. She had never heard so many useful things come out of one person's mouth and still end up being useless to her.

The twins… Astrid wasn't even going to go there. She didn't want to deal with either of them any day.

She was exhausted and wanted time away from the idiots, so she escaped. She let Stoic know that she was leaving and then trekked into the woods in order to gather some small kindling for the village. The others were set to work on the houses around the village.

She finally had some peace and quiet!

"Geez, you'd think for a giant beast you'd be hard to lose…"

Astrid froze and ducked behind a tree, away from where she had just heard someone speak. She shifted and peaked around the tree to try and find who had spoken, and she had to hold in a breath when she saw them.

It was a young man, around her age if she were to guess, maybe older. He had a lithe build, but she could tell he was muscled and trained by the way he moved around the shrubbery. He was around 20 feet away, enough that Astrid was surprised she could hear him.

"Come on out bud, I'm not gonna go searching for you." The boy said, looking around the branches of the towering pine.

He wasn't anyone she knew, and he definitely wasn't from Berk. He also didn't look like a Beserker, so Astrid wasn't sure who he was. He had the coloring of a Berkian however, so he was probably from around here.

"Alright, if you don't want to come out, I guess I'll just go back…Alone…And maybe get mauled…No biggie!" The boy called out, his tone joking.

Astrid's face screwed up as she stared at the boy, wondering who exactly he was talking to. And if there were two of them, did that mean they were up to something? She would have to investigate-

She froze when a dark blur descended on the boy, his figure vanishing underneath powerful limbs as he was swallowed in the visage of a huge beast. Astrid jolted and went to move forward, to try and protect this strange boy.

The dragon, of which she was sure of, opened its mouth above the boy's head, and Astrid's thoughts blanked. She had watched too many kids and adults fall to the jaws of beasts such as this one. She had watched them scream as they died, as their lives were ended in an instant.

Astrid couldn't close her eyes as the dragon dropped its head, going for the throat.

However, this time she did not hear screams. This time she did not see blood. Instead, she heard laughter and she saw the black dragon _lick_ the boy instead of tear him apart. The boy was laughing as he pushed at the head of the beast, actually managing to push his head up. The boy smiled up at the dragon and scratched under it's chin as he sat up.

"About time Bud, I was beginning to think that you would leave me here." He said, the sound muffled in Astrid's ears against the shock in her veins.

It was a dragon. A dragon that didn't kill him. A dragon that didn't tear him apart…A dragon that the boy seemed to know well. How was that even possible?

Astrid was so confused, and she took a step back as she trembled.

Her thoughts were a mess and she failed to notice the stick under her foot until it was too late. It snapped and the two turned toward her without warning.

Astrid ducked behind her tree again, holding her breath as she heard the two speak again.

"What was that?" The boy asked, only to be greeted by a kind of warble from his dragon.

"Come on Bud, let's go." The boy said, and Astrid finally came to her senses.

"W-Wait!" She tried, her voice coming out as a squeak as she turned around the tree again.

An empty space where the Dragon and the Boy had been greeted her, leaving her to gaze at the spot as her thoughts tore her apart.

I~~~~I

Hiccup sighed as he and Toothless dropped down into their temporary home. That had been too close. He hadn't been paying attention and someone had nearly snuck up on them. Thankfully the person hadn't followed or seen them take off, so they were safe for now.

Toothless nosed his arm, pushing it over his head as he peered up at him with bright green eyes.

"Yeah, I know Bud. We'll be more careful next time." Hiccup said as he scratched the Dragon's scales, sighing gently.

"Well, we might as get some dinner and then some rest. We have a long flight home tomorrow." Hiccup spoke, resting his head against his dragon's lovingly before they split to gather their food.

They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow, and they needed to be ready for it.

I~~~~~I

**Well there's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to complete; I just had a lot going on and had to fix my schedule so that I had more time to myself. Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Hiccup sighed as he settled down after a good day of flying. He had just got back from his previous three days of exploration and had returned to his home. His mother was out, no doubt trading blows with dragon hunters, so he had the place mostly to himself until she got back.

Toothless flopped out on the ground beside him, no doubt tired after the day of flying. They had pushed it to the limits, Toothless going fast enough that Hiccup had been knocked off at one point. It had been years since he had fallen from his dragon accidently. He wasn't used to the sudden panic from an unplanned fall.

He would have to work on that, because even his staff had not been enough to catch him in time. Maybe if he made a glider, or something to keep him afloat…

Hiccup started walking to his workshop, thinking about his newest project. He would be staying home for some time, possibly three days, before he would head back to Berk and begin building his base there. Right now, he needed to solve this current problem.

Toothless watched him go before he bounded to the feeding troughs.

Hiccup pushed aside the papers on his desk to give himself room, setting down a blank piece of paper. He started to sketch out wing shapes attached to a figure, factoring in things in his head. He then started to dig through his scraps of leather, beginning his project.

Throughout this process Toothless stopped by, peering over his shoulder before bounding back to the other dragons to play.

It was dusk before Hiccup's mother came back, riding on Cloudjumper as she landed in the cave. Several dragons followed behind her, shyly peering at their new home.

Hiccup did not notice her as she crept beside him. Her eyes drifted over his blueprints and his prototype.

"Perhaps, not a separate mechanism, but just attaching them to your sides?" Valka said.

Hiccup, used to Valka's input when he was working, nodded. He had thought about attaching them to his back but attaching them to his sides was a really good idea.

Hiccup gave his design a once over before erasing several things, changing up the design. He then started with new fervor, grinning as he thought of all the different wing designs for different situations.

Valka chuckled and turned away, looking back out over their home. She would leave her son to his experiments, and in the meantime introduce the new dragons to their home.

I~~~~I

Hiccup stretched, finishing up for the day with his project. He held up the product, two pieces of cloth that he could link with his suit. First, though, he needed to get some of Toothless' loose scales to use for the paint.

Walking over Hiccup found his dragon curled up and sleeping. He searched around Toothless' rock and found several scales. Taking the scales, he placed them in his mortar and pestle and started to grind them down. After that he mixed them with some of the saliva he had collected from his dragon, before he started to paint it onto the leather. The cuts were a little rough, but they would work.

A warble at his shoulder alerted Hiccup to Toothless. The Nightfury had snuck up on him while he was painting, and he was looking at the wings curiously. He tilted his head as he looked at Hiccup with his toothless smile.

Hiccup chuckled and held it out in front of him, away from anything that could burn.

"Care to dry it bud?" He asked, watching as Toothless nodded and then fired a blast at the piece.

It dried almost instantly, and as a bonus it withstood the blast and didn't catch on fire.

Dragon scales were indeed useful. His own clothing was made out of the scales and painted by them for an extra layer of protection. His mother's suit was the same way. She had actually been the one to show him how to do it.

He began to attach the wings, simply tying them to his arms and around his waist with the harness he created, if only for the moment. He would attach them to his suit at a later date depending how they worked.

Hiccup then started to make his way up to the cliff Toothless loved so much, his dragon bounding after him.

"Let's test this out. If it doesn't work…you'll catch me, right bud?" Hiccup asked as they neared the spot. He glanced back to find Toothless giving him a suspiciously innocent look, as though he was saying "of course, why wouldn't I?"

Hiccup huffed and stood up on the spot, gazing down at all the dragons. He made sure his staff was on his back, secured in case Toothless needed to grab it.

Taking a deep breath Hiccup stepped back, before he ran forward. Toothless watched him as he launched over the ledge, falling down.

He sped past several dragons, before Hiccup extended his arms.

The wind caught instantly, and Hiccup gulped as he was lifted up. He wobbled a bit, but for the most part he was gliding quite well.

"It works!" He shouted, grinning.

Toothless warbled in agreement and flew down to join him, flying beside him.

Hiccup waved at his dragon, yelping when he started to wobble again. He righted himself, relaxing. Toothless grinned at him, before tilting his wings to curve to the left, around several dragons flying.

Gulping again, Hiccup carefully copied the movements. He changed directions and was surprised to find that it wasn't that different from riding. Tilting the direct of his dragon was natural, even when he was standing on him.

The two glided next to each other and around the swarms of dragons, descending slowly to the ground.

Below him, Hiccup saw his mother standing next to Cloudjumper. They were both watching him in awe as he flew by Toothless.

He lifted his hand in a small wave, only to freeze when he heard a slight snap.

Glancing over his shoulder Hiccup saw that the strap he had secured to his waist had loosened, and now he was off balance.

The wind rushed up and he twisted, falling as the wing was ripped off his arm and started to flap around.

Toothless gave a cry and shifted down, reaching out a grabbed onto his staff with his teeth.

Hiccup jerked, about 20 feet from the ground, and let out a relieved sigh. Toothless hovered for a moment, glaring down at him. He then gently lowered him until they got to about five feet, before dropping him on his back.

Hiccup groaned, giving Toothless and apologetic look as he relaxed on the ground.

A shadow hovered over him and an arm was extended to help him up. Hiccup took his mother's hand and pulled himself up.

Valka looked him over, smiling the whole time. She dusted off his back before holding up his arm, slowly walking around him as she observed his new wings. Hiccup let her, staying still like a dragon would around an inspecting mother.

He had grown used to her more beast-like habits in the way she moved, held herself, and reacted around others. She crept along the ground silently and peered at things through the eyes of a curious animal. She was anything but an animal of course, but she had lived with dragons for so long now that some habits just stuck.

The same applied to Hiccup, but his were much simpler. He also liked to investigate things slowly, circling and making sure he was well defended as he did, but he also knew how to keep his interest a secret.

The non-verbal communication was also something he and his mother had picked up on. It showed in how they did not need to verbally address the other's presence, nor did they need to vocalize all of their feelings. They knew just from a single look or a glance what the other felt, and It was nice.

Like now, Hiccup knew his mother was proud of him for his new creation and that she was thinking about all the other possibilities it could bring. She loved his creativity, but she also knew when to quench it.

Valka finally finished circling, grinning happily at her son. She was almost childish in the way she expressed her interest, though Hiccup supposed that was just another thing they had picked up in their years with dragons.

"They look lovely. You'll have to work on attaching them, but I'm sure they will work wonderfully when you fix the kinks. Amazing…" She whispered, humming as she grabbed on to him and hugged him.

Hiccup let out a laugh and hugged her back, relaxing into her arms.

Yes, he wanted to see Berk, yes, he wanted to explore, but he also loved being with his mother. Moments of peace and quiet like these were what he lived for.

I~~~~I

It was time again, to return to Berk. He was eager to start up his new base and to explore the area around Berk. He was interested in how the islands worked and if there were any other types of dragons. He was used to such a variety and he hoped that the same variety was in Berk too.

Hiccup took to gathering his supplies and preparing Toothless. He decided to bring along some of his own inventions to help him settle in and also added a few more pieces of parchment so that he could start mapping out the new land.

Eager to begin, Hiccup could hardly wait for his mother to return from her journey with the Bewilder Beast to get food for the dragons. Toothless was also gone, so it wasn't like he could leave.

He had everything packed and ready to go, he just needed to say goodbye.

As though called by his thoughts alone, which was entirely possible, the great Bewilder Beast rose up out of the ice below, coming to rest on his spot in the giant ice world.

Many dragons followed him into the dome, including Toothless. Hiccup's friend had multiple fish in his mouth, and Hiccup laughed as he reached out for Toothless with a grin.

The great beast flew down, nearly knocking him over as he tackled and dropped his fish all over Hiccup's clothes. The Dragon Rider groaned and sputtered, only to get a face-full of dragon saliva.

Hiccup shoved Toothless off with a bit of effort, groaning and rubbing at his face to get all of the saliva off.

"Gah, gross bud, why would you do that?!" Hiccup berated the overgrown lizard, earning a soft chortle in response. He sighed and smile at Toothless, allowing his face and movements to show his true emotions.

Toothless understood, he always did. They knew each other too well.

"All packed up?" Hiccup heard the holler from behind, and when he turned around he was met with his mother's beautiful eyes. He took a deep breath and nodded at her.

He saw the waver in her eyes, the moment of uncertainty. It didn't last, and her smile turned into something firm and trusting, something that showed she knew he could handle himself.

Hiccup felt warm as he ran over and hugged her tightly, before he rushed back to Toothless in order to get everything set up. If they were going to make it to Berk before Nightfall, Toothless and him would have to get going soon.

"I'll be back soon, take care everyone!" Hiccup called out as he hopped on to Toothless. His dragon chortled and they launched off without another word.

They followed the dragons through the spiral before they shot out a secret exit, freeing themselves.

Now, all he had to do was make it to Berk.

I~~~I

Astrid took a deep breath, relaxing against the sand on the beach. It had been a few days since the last dragon attack, and finally she had been given a break. She was able to enjoy the silence, bask in the beauty of Berk if only for this small amount of time.

Of course, with free time came her latent thoughts.

All she could think of was that boy, the strange one who was, dare she say it, friends with a dragon.

She had searched and searched for the boy but had come up with nothing at all as she looked. No matter what she did she couldn't track the dragon and she couldn't figure out what type it was.

Astrid had even been desperate enough to ask Fishlegs about what type of dragon it could be, and if it had any habits that would help her catch it, but he hadn't heard of one like It either.

In short, she had no luck with her current obsession. It irritated her a little to think about her lack of success, but she breathed through it and relaxed again. She knew better than to dwell on something that annoyed her for too long.

Dealing with Snotlout had at least taught her that.

A whistling sounded, like a nice breeze.

Astrid's eyes snapped open, because there was no breeze today. She sat up and started to look around when a black blur appeared in the distance. It was approaching from back of the island, and as she watched it get closer, she recognized the shape.

Astrid felt her chest well with a sort of anticipation as she recognized the dragon as the same mysterious black one.

It was drawing closer, and if she hurried…she could probably intercept the landing.

Her mind set, Astrid grabbed her hatchet from where she had left it next to her as she slept and rushed off to catch the mysterious dragon when it landed.

I~~~~I

Hiccup sighed as he landed with Toothless. He hopped off the Nightfury, keeping his mask on as he gathered his supplies and started off toward his new base of operations.

Toothless chortled and darted off to explore after Hiccup signaled to him. The dragon was like a small child as he bounded off chasing a bird.

Hiccup shook his head with a smile and started off to his new base. He wanted to set up the alcove first, the cave-like area he would use as his sleeping quarters and as his workshop. He could even cover it up with some bramble and trap kits he had crafted. He would have to protect his new home like he did his own.

He gathered some supplies as he walked, using a stick to hold two of his buckets on his shoulders as he trekked. He even caught a rabbit, though it was tricky to do so without dropping his supplies. He had dinner though, so Hiccup felt it was worth it.

Hiccup finally arrived at his new based, slipping down inside the area as he deposited his supplies. He dropped his two sacks, the buckets, the rabbit, and the sticks he had collected by the entrance to his quarters and started to organize everything.

"Alright, so after this I think I'll map it out and start planning where to explore to first." He mumbled and jotted down notes on the inside of his gauntlets, just so he could remind himself.

Hiccup made quick work of his area, setting up a desk with his supplies and a big enough area for him and Toothless to sleep in. He then started on building some traps in the area, masterfully using his terrain and equipment to his advantage.

He even made some by the pond and started on a sort of canal to allow the water to flow to the different sections of his camp so he didn't have to worry about hauling water.

He also made sure any run off from the alcoves and cliffs above his little pit would funnel into the pond and that it wouldn't flood his new base.

Sighing happily after seeing his progress, Hiccup then grabbed his book and his charcoal so he could go exploring. He grabbed the rabbit, which he had cleaned and cooked, and he filled his waterskin.

Hiccup set out toward the beach he arrived on while he sketched out his new home. He wanted to make sure he knew exactly where everything was. It meant he'd have to sneak around Berk or climb high up to find out about the town, but Hiccup was okay with that.

I~~~~I

Astrid was rather confused. She had gotten to the beach in time to watch the boy's dragon take off. The boy left and she chose to follow him.

In following him, Astrid realized this boy was far more dangerous than she had even thought. Besides befriending a dragon, this boy knew the ins and outs of survival. He was efficient in setting up a camp, one that Astrid mentally noted he had probably gone to before this.

The boy set to work on traps, some that Astrid had never even seen before. He was masterful in his craft and he was purposeful in his movements. He never did anything without a purpose. Every movement was planned and coordinated.

It was just odd. Astrid was no stranger to plans, but she was a Viking. For all of their military tact, they simply didn't have it in them to just plan their attacks. Sure, Stoic kept Berk in check and lead them well, and he even had brilliant strategies, but this was something else.

Astrid had never met anyone who had a purpose for everything that they did.

Sighing Astrid quietly stepped away as the boy started to walk out of the camp. He was going to do recon, to scout and map the area.

Astrid knew she should be worried, should be running back to report this to Stoic or someone with credence in Berk, but she just…She couldn't. It didn't feel right. She didn't think this boy was trying to cause Berk any harm.

Astrid was still wary, of course, but she also wasn't about to go attack the boy and demand answers. She would bide her time and learn for herself why this mysterious boy was here.

I~~~I

**There we go, another update. I've been in a writing mood and making round son my stories. I hope this portrayed what I want to do with this story. I am not abandoning it and hopefully never will. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed!**


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